Looking ForwardThis weekend becomes quite hectic for the Vandal track and field team as most of the team travels to California for several different meets, and another squad stays on the Palouse for the Cougar Invitational at Washington State. Many of the team’s athletes will compete in multiple events over a three-day period at Mt. SAC Relays, the Long Beach Invitational, and the California Invitational Multi-Events. This weekend marks the final big road trip of the regular season.

Historically SpeakingSeveral career-best marks and all-time top-10 entries were made last year at the Mt. SAC relays. Junior Dylan Watts jumped into fifth all-time after clearing a height of 16-0.75 (4.90m) in the pole vault. Senior Kyle Rothwell hit a career-best in the hammer throw (196-9), and sophomore Ben Ayesu-Attah marked his first collegiate quarter-mile under 48 seconds. At the Long Beach Invitational Idaho hit five career-best marks and one all-time top-10 entry. Junior Andrey Levkiv added the top-10 entry moving to ninth all-time at Idaho, while senior Ugis Svazs (javelin), junior Cait Rowland (100m Hurdles), senior Kyle Tylor (800m), and sophomore Ben Ayesu-Attah (200m) all hit career-best marks. At the Cougar Invitational a successful group of Vandals posted 10 career-best marks.

A Quick RecapDespite the harsh weather conditions, the Vandal track and field teams went on to claim eight individual events and posted personal best marks at the War VI Regional Dual. Junior Kyle Tylor ran a personal best in the 800m (1:52.41), while fellow teammate junior Cait Rowland won the 400m hurdles in a season-best time of 1:05.20. Senior Lauren Schaffer and sophomore Ben Ayesu-Attah both posted the top times in the 400m. In the weights, the Vandal women swept the top spots with sophomore Johanna Hocketstaller (shot put), senior Kristine Leonard (discus throw), senior Sarah Nutsch (hammer throw), and senior Ellen Rouse (javelin throw) all taking top places in their events.

NCAA Outdoor QualificationNCAA outdoor track and field is in the fourth season of the two-region national qualification system. The top 48 athletes in each event qualify for the NCAA Preliminary Rounds, which are split between the East and West Regions. The Preliminary Round sites host the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships qualifying rounds of the field events and the opening rounds through semifinals of track events (depending on the event distance). In the first year of the system in 2010, Idaho had eight women and five men qualify for the NCAA West Preliminary Round. Last season, six women and seven men qualified. This year’s NCAA West Preliminary will be hosted by the University of Texas at Austin.